UK Cancer Surgery will be Live-streamed via VR Technology

Have you ever thought of witnessing the entire process of operating a cancer patient? Well, the very thought itself is pretty scary, but now you (in fact the whole world) will have the opportunity to be a fortunate spectator of the process. Thanks to the innovative approach of the virtual-reality technology that aims to bring you in the virtual world of Operation Theater for real. For the first time in history, the operation on a cancer patient will be live-streamed using the technology.

Pioneering the utilization of virtual reality technology in surgery, Dr. Shafi Ahmed, a London surgeon said that the operation will be surely a radical approach for healthcare innovation and education.

The patient, who is in his 70s and is diagnosed with the cancer of the colon, has been reportedly pretty excited about the prospect of being shown globally when operated.

The entire operation taking place at the Royal London hospital will be viewed from 1pm on 14 April just with a Smartphone and virtual reality headset. It will be filmed by a couple of specialist cameras strategically placed above the operating table. The surgeon is expecting to last the process up to three hours approximately.

The surgeons believe that the usage of the virtual reality technology will have far-reaching effect in the field of research and education. According to Dr. Ahmed, the technology will have the comprehensive approach at the surgical health across the world and at the same time help trainees and surgeons to connect and share knowledge via remote access.

The live streaming will be available in about 100 countries, where medical students will be able to ask questions and Dr. Ahmed will give the answers while carrying out the surgery. The process will have a two-way benefit, the consultant surgeon says. It will be a low-cost way to give practical classes to the students and secondly the students can have the opportunity to access such priceless information at the nascent stage of their career which would be otherwise impossible.

Dr. Ahmed is also quite hopeful about the utilization of additional components in the coming year, so that the virtual reality technology can offer an enhanced experience of touch and feel. The aim is to get a surgical procedure more interactive and efficient to have a holistic advantage.

The aim is to create the virtual surgeon in a student, who will be operating a patient in the virtual world (which is a reality too). The virtual surgeon will be dealing with scalpel and other surgical apparatus to make a virtual incision. In short, they will be already doing a surgery before doing it in real. According to the doctor, it will further increase the efficiency of the medical students across the world.

The live streaming of the operation in the next month will be carried out in partnership with Medical Realities and the live-streaming service Matavision.